


Heart Signs

by lucianowriter



Category: Shameless - Fandom
Genre: Angst, Buddy Mickey/Lip, M/M, Miscommunication, deaf!Ian
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-13
Updated: 2019-01-13
Packaged: 2019-10-09 18:00:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,379
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17411588
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lucianowriter/pseuds/lucianowriter
Summary: Mickey is a closed off surly guy from the South side. He works side by side with Lip at a construction job. It’s the first friendship he’s ever had since Mandy. Through his friend he meets Ian, a smart and flirty red head. Mickey struggles to speak, could Ian’s unique life situation help him with his confidence.





	Heart Signs

**Author's Note:**

> This is going to be a two part fic. I plan to work on part 2 as diligently as I can, but with going back to school it’ll most likely take me a month or so to update. So please bear with me! This is my baby!

The apartment building looked warm and inviting as Mickey walked up to it. He has never been to this neighborhood before; it’s on the North side of Chicago. However, he had plans with Lip to drink and get high.

They had met on the job, construction, and had hit it off pretty quickly. Mickey was a no bullshit kind of person who didn’t talk much and Lip was a no bullshit person  who talked too much. At first he annoyed the shit out of Mickey, but then he realized that he was all sarcasm and hard truths. Lip was abrasive in a more vocal way than Mickey, but their opinions on things ran the same.

After working on a set of uppity office buildings on the North side for the last few months, they were finally working on a revamp job on the South side together. Lip had also finally asked him round for drinks. Lip told him he would just meet up with him at a local bar if he had the money for drinking like that. So instead he told Mickey just to come over to the apartment he shared with his brother.

Mickey rides the elevator up to the third floor and nervously walks down the hall to Lip’s unit, 3G. Mickey didn’t do well with others. In fact, he would much rather not interact with people at all. Lip was an exception to the rule because while he talked a lot he didn’t expect it from Mickey. It kind of reminded him of his family. Loud and crazy but doesn’t give a shit if you are quiet or not. Mickey was more the silent but deadly type, wouldn’t say a word but could easily kill you if the situation warranted it.

Mickey reaches out and knocks loudly on 3G’s door. He can hear the music seeping through and curses. It’s clearly rap music, which irritates the shit out of Mickey. His brother Ig loves that shit and blasts it as he cleans his guns or samples whatever drug he’s selling that week. After waiting at the door for a few minutes the door suddenly swings open.

Lip looks harried and slightly shocked at the appearance of Mickey on his doorstep. He doesn’t ask anything though and ushers Mickey inside. That’s when Mickey sees him. A clearly younger man, only slightly though, with blazing red hair. He is standing right by a corner which is floor to ceiling speakers. The music is pumping and this man is standing right next to the eye level speaker and holding his hand on it, feeling the vibrations. There is a smile on his face spreading from ear to ear.

Mickey quirks his eyebrow in question as he looks directly at Lip. Lip just shrugs and leans closer before speaking.

“Ian.”

“What?” Mickey yells, wanting so badly to turn down the music.

“Ian, my brother.” Lip practically shouts despite their close proximity.

“Why is he standing that close, doesn’t that hurt his ears?” Mickey asks looking at Ian now.

“Hang on.” Lip yells back before moving away from Mickey and towards Ian.

Mickey watches as Lip positions himself directly in front of Ian and starts motioning with his hands. Mickey isn’t sure what he is seeing because none of it makes a lick of sense to him. However, it must mean something to Ian because he pouts a bit and then moves to turn off the music. By the time he crosses the room to Mickey however he is all smiles once more.

“Ian, this is Mickey. He’s a friend from work.” Lip says as he motions his hands again.

“Why do you keep moving your hands?” Mickey asks, realizing this is probably the most questions he’s ever asked anyone, ever, in his life.

“It’s sign language. Ian’s deaf.” Lip turns to face Mickey as he speaks but, still signs for Ian too.

Mickey watches as Ian gets an excited look on his face, something that Mickey realizes he wouldn’t mind seeing again and again, and rapidly moves his hands around. Lip motions to Ian to slow down, which Mickey only knows because Lip also sighs and says it. Ian tries the hand motions again and cocks his head towards Mickey in a motion that speaks volumes. ‘Go on tell him.’

Mickey is feeling completely lost when Lip finally turns from his brother and back to Mickey.

“So, Ian wants you to know that before you ask, yes he has been deaf most of his life and no he can’t hear anything. He also told me to tell you that he thinks you have a nice ass. I told him that he was being inappropriate, but fucking brothers. Am I right?”

Mickey chokes on the last words that Lip says. He turns a shocked face to Ian, who is smirking. Ian lifts his eyebrows as he nods his chin up. The action and the words throw Mickey. It’s not that he is opposed to a man hitting on him. In fact, he’d love for it to happen more often. It’s just Ian was being so forward about it all. Like he wasn’t afraid of getting his ass kicked if he talked like that to the wrong person. Mickey knew that Ian’s words in his neighborhood would’ve sent his homophobic father and his asshole cronies after him.

“Fuck! I need a drink.” Mickey swears and crosses over to the couch and plops down.

Out of the corner of his eye he can see the two brothers heatedly motioning their hands. He can tell from their facial expressions they must be fighting. He decides right then that anger on the redhead’s face is scary but also sexy as hell. Shit. Mickey was fucked. Not that he would ever admit it. No, he still didn’t know if he could trust these two guys. His secret feelings were big and dangerous. Ian could just be scoping him out to use that information against him.

No Mickey would keep his attraction to the red head under wraps. It would stay between himself and his mind.

“Hey,” Lip’s voice directly above him pulls Mickey out of his thoughts. He glances up and sees that Lip has a beer for him. He forces a smile and accepts the beverage. Mickey takes a sip before realizing that Ian has joined Lip and him in drinking.

“He’s able to drink?” Mickey blurts out without thinking.

Ian’s soft, open demeanor suddenly closes off and his eyes go a bit dark. He stands up and gives Mickey the finger before storming off towards the back of the apartment. Mickey hears a door slam and he cringes.

“I didn’t mean because he’s deaf.” Mickey stammers, looking at Lip and trying to redeem himself.

“Then what did you mean?” Lip turns on his asshole tone, giving Mickey a hard look.

“I meant he doesn’t look old enough.” Mickey exclaims.

“Dude, he’s only a year younger than me. That makes him 26. Old enough to drink. Besides what business is it of yours?” Lip accuses Mickey, standing up and moving away from their friendly space.

“I-I” Mickey stammers, he doesn’t know what to say. So he decides to excuse himself. “I think maybe I should go.”

“Yeah maybe you should.” Lip sighs. He doesn’t even wave goodbye or walk Mickey to the door. Instead he walks towards where his brother disappeared.

This was why Mickey didn’t try to be friends with people. His mind and mouth rarely connected right and he always ended up saying the wrong thing. Well his casual friendship with Lip was fun while it lasted.

Mickey takes the L back to his shitty house on the South side. His sister and father are home when he gets there. Instead of accosting either of them he bypasses them entirely and slams his door. He throws himself on his bed. Staring at the ceiling, covered with holes from all the times he launched a knife into the ceiling as a kid. In his head he runs over and over the thoughts of Ian.

As a product of the South side Mickey knows that his life has been very closed off from a variety of experiences. He barely knows any culture apart from his own, white trash America, but he is aware that other cultures exist. He’s not stupid, just ignorant. The more he thinks about his somewhat abrasive and ignorant behavior at Lip’s today, the more he realizes that Lip deserves to give him a chance. It’s not like Mickey should automatically know how to approach the situation of deafness. Mickey can hear perfectly fine; he’s never even had to deal with someone hard of hearing before. Can Lip really blame him for not knowing any better? Besides his final comment to the brothers was more about his perception of Ian’s age not his inability to hear.

Mickey groans and with a final sigh gets back up from his bed and leaves his room once more.

He walks into the kitchen where is sister is cooking dinner. His asshole father is sitting at the small table, situated against the wall, smoking a joint. Mickey grabs the joint out of his father’s hand without asking and takes a drag off of it. Then without a word he hands it back to him. Mickey then turns to his sister.

“Aye, Mandy. Can I borrow your laptop?” Mickey asks reaching around her shoulder for a bit of meatball that’s cooling on a plate near the stove.

She smacks his hand with her spatula before replying, “If you’re gonna watch porn use the fucking tv. Iggy stole my laptop last month to do just that and he fucked it all up. Had to spend money to get it fixed and shit.”

“Eww. No. I got my own hand to get myself off thank you very much.” Mickey gives his younger sister a disgusted look.

“What do you need it for then, asswipe?” Mandy turns from the stove and gives her brother a long hard look.

“R-research.” Mickey folds under her stare.

“Fine, but if you fuck it up you fix it.” Mandy turns back to her cooking as a means of dismissal.

Mickey shakes his head and makes his exit once more. He stops by his sister’s room to grab her laptop and go back to his room. Once he’s in her room however, he decides just to sit on her bed and do the research there. After all, it’s not like he was trying to hide anything.

He boots up Google and types in the term deaf. That gets him over a million hits so he narrows his search down to the definition of the word. Mickey figures that was as good a starting point as ever. Especially considering he doesn’t know anything about the topic.

Before he knows it Mickey is sucked into a world of information ranging from definitions to therapies to communication to rights and legal battles. Mickey would feel overwhelmed if it all didn’t fascinate him completely. He finds himself learning more about the workings of the inner ear than he ever imagined knowing.

He is reading up on cochlear implants when Mandy comes storming into her room. She is cursing under her breath and doesn’t notice her brother at first.  When she does she stops in her tracks and just stares. It’s not a normal sight to see Mickey on the computer, let alone reading anything. Even worse Mickey is really into whatever he is reading which really throws Mandy off.

“Asswipe. You done with my computer yet?” Mandy says in mock annoyance.

Mickey simply flips her the bird without even looking up from the screen.

“What are you reading anyways?” Mandy clambers onto her bed next to her brother when his silence carries on for too long. She is especially intrigued because her brother never seems to show interest in anything. Most of the time he is the model of indifference.

“The fuck is a cochlear implant?” Mandy curses reading over her brother’s shoulder.

“It’s a thing some deaf people get. It requires surgery because it connects to the hearing nerve in the ear and creates a signal to the brain. It allows deaf people to hear.” Mickey replies. He doesn’t even look up, instead he keeps reading. He barely even acknowledges his sister’s presence beyond her question.  

“The fuck you reading that for?” Mandy playfully punches her brother before getting up and tearing off her shirt to change. Mickey is the only one she will change in front of because he’s the only one she can trust not to do anything fishy. She is the only person in their entire family who knows that Mickey is gay. He confided in her back when they were in high school because he’d been caught behind the bleachers. She never judged him and since then they’d been inseparable.

“Fuck you care. I’m done anyways.” Mickey curses at her with a half-hearted glare as he closes the laptop and scrambles out of the room.

 

The next morning Mickey shows up to the construction site on time. He hopes that he is working near Lip today so that he can apologize for the day before and hopefully gain some understanding from someone who knows things first hand. Unfortunately for him Lip isn’t working in the same area as him so Mickey is stuck working with Tad. Mickey hates Tad. Tad is over zealous about everything and insists on calling everyone friend.

By lunchtime Mickey is grinding his teeth and glaring at Tad so hard he swears he must be burning him somehow. However, Tad doesn’t even seem to notice he is a hair's length away from getting pummeled into the ground. He’s oblivious; chatting happily about something his niece did when Lip strides over and tells him to switch stations with him. Lip grins at Mickey’s scowl and gets straight to work.

“I guess you’ve suffered enough for being an ass yesterday.” Lip chuckles as he helps Mickey move some metal beams.

“I didn’t mean to. I swear.” Mickey mumbles, focusing more on the task at hand than on eye contact.

“I know you didn’t. I just get overly defensive of my brother. Especially when his feelings are hurt.” Lip shrugs.

“How mad is he really?”

“Well let’s just say he told me to warn him next time you come over so he can make plans elsewhere.” Lip stops for a moment to give Mickey a sympathetic look.

“He must understand he’s the first deaf person I’ve ever met. And I suck at talking.” Mickey cries out in defense.

“It was more about your body language than your words for him. He doesn’t hear so he sees more than most. Look I tried explaining to him that you’re just a surly person, but he wouldn’t budge.” Lip grabs Mickey’s shoulder in a brotherly sort of way. Mickey brushes him off and turns back to their work. “Look Ian is a tough one to win over. Especially after the tough life he’s had. Give it time dude. He’ll come around.”

Mickey doesn’t respond and so the two men go back to the task at hand. They work in companionable silence for most of the rest of the work day. The only words exchanged between them is the ones necessary to get the job done. Mickey isn’t much of a talker to begin with but, now with Lip’s words and explanations running through his head he is especially quiet. Then before they know it the call for the end of the day comes. Lip grins and brushes his hands off on his jeans.

“Wanna grab a drink at The Alibi just up the block from my house?” Mickey says suddenly as they reach Lip’s truck. “I’ll pay.”

“Well the only thing my father ever taught me was to never pass up free booze. So you’re buying, I’m drinking.” Lip grins and locks his truck back up in exchange for following Mickey.

They enter the local establishment and Mickey is greeted with salutations of good joy. The only one in the place who doesn’t seem to like him is a brash looking, eastern European woman behind the bar.

“What you want you Nazi asshole.” She sneers at him as he approaches the bar.

“Clearly gargling all those man balls has made you blind bitch. I’m not Terry.” Mickey sneers right back at her.

“Two beers on my friend Milkovich here.” Lip says, clearly trying to break up the tension.

“Is that Philip Gallagher?” A voice calls out from the other end of the bar. “As I live and breathe. The best of Frank’s spawn is back. The prodigal son, all that bullshit.”

“What the fuck is Kev on about, Gallagher?” Mickey whispers to Lip.

“Hey, Kev. Just working a job a few blocks over and thought I’d step in for a drink with my buddy here.” Lip ignores Mickey’s question in favor of responding to Kevin, the bartender.

“A Gallagher and a Milkovich walk into a bar together. There has got to be a joke in there somewhere.” Kev replies with a grin as he slides the two their beers. “You better help your buddy there, Lip. It looks like he’s about to shit himself.”

Lip turns to Mickey and slaps a hand on his back. “What? I never mention I’m South side like you, prick?”

“No” Mickey retorts, looking at Lip sideways before chugging half of his beer.

“Born and raised.” Lip chuckles and turns to his beer as well.

 

The two sit in silence nursing their beers for a while. Mickey is mulling over all that has been said in the last few days. Between Ian and the knowledge that Gallagher is South side Mickey was at a true loss as to what to ask first. He decides on the former because that one has been hounding him since yesterday.

“Can I ask you something, Gallagher?” Mickey signals for another beer as he turns his whole body to face his friend from the side.

“You just did.” Lip looks at him sideways with an eyebrow quirk.

“Fuck off. No seriously.” Mickey responds.

“Fire away.” Lip sighs as he too signals for another beer.

“Your brother. Why doesn’t he wear hearing aids? Or have a cochlear implant?” Mickey softens his features to show Lip that he doesn’t mean any offense, he’s just curious.

“Well aids wouldn’t help him, too much damage. Not that he’d wear them even if he could. Cochlear he just doesn’t want it.” Lip shrugs and sips from his beer.

“Why not?” Mickey plays with the napkin on the bar in front of him.

“Ian feels that getting cochlear implants would be turning his back on his culture and that he’d be saying he thinks he’s broken and needs fixed. And for what? There’s no guarantee they’d even help him.” Lip sternly looks at his own napkin, not making eye contact with Mickey.

“Oh.” Mickey’s reply is simple but heavy.

“Look, man. Ian is completely happy with who he is. Don’t go asking him about cochlear if you ever want on his good side. He takes offense to people he thinks are trying to fix him. It’s part of the reason he lives with me instead of in the home we grew up in with our sister. Her husband thinks he should have the surgery.” Lip nudges Mickey to be sure he sees his serious demeanor. Mickey silently nods at him

They return to their sitting in silence once more. Mickey turns his attention to the game on the tv. He doesn’t know who is playing nor does he even care. He actually lets his mind wander to what his father would think if he came in right now and saw him sitting at the bar with a Gallagher.

“Why do you care so much?” Lip finally asks, his tone clearly suspicious.

“I don’t.” Mickey shrugs off Lip’s question. He hopes that Lip will drop it and move on.

“Whatever you brought it up.” Lip shrugs again.

“Asshole. Tell your father he owe me money.” The brash Eastern European woman barks at Mickey as she wanders down to their end of the bar. Then she grabs his cup and refills it with a few strong words spoken in a foreign language.

“Speak fucking English you Russian whore. Why don’t you march your ass down to my dad’s place and ask him about what he owes you. I ain’t involved in his shit.” Mickey spits at her, his face suddenly turning angrier than Lip has ever seen him.

“No. You involved in other boys’ shit.” She fires back, the anger clearly a mutual thing between them.

At her words Mickey stills and his already pale face goes even paler if that’s even possible. Lip thinks to ask Mickey, but he can tell from his short time of knowing the guy that asking questions at this point in time would be the last thing he’d probably ever do. So Lip does what he does best.

He turns to the Russian woman and calls out, “Yo Commie Skank. Why don’t you go bother Ernie over there in the corner? I bet you he’d pay you.”

Mickey turns in shock to his new friend. “Damn Gallagher you got balls.”

Just then the Russian woman gives a yell and throws an entire bottle of vodka at the two guys. The glass shatters on the counter and the alcohol spills all over both their clothes. Some of the more drunk patrons hear the breaking glass and think a fight has broken out so they start throwing punches at each other.

“You better get out of here before Tony shows up. He won’t be able to be forgiving, no matter who you are.” Kev whispers to them with a wink at Lip.

Lip grabs Mickey by the arm and drags him out the door. Once outside they start running. They make it all the way back to Lip’s truck at the work site before they stop to even think about catching their breath.

“Who dafuq is Tony?” Mickey says in between heaving breaths.

“My brother-in-law. The one who insistently pushes cochlear implants on Ian because life will be ‘safer’ for him if he gets them.” Lip is more out of breath than Mickey. “Like that asshole even knows Ian. Dude could drive a car better than Tony any fucking day of the week. Not that he does. But fuck him.”

“Tell how you really feel.” Mickey snaps back.

“You coming?” Lip motions his head towards the truck as he climbs in the driver’s seat.

“Why? I live two blocks that way.” Mickey points behind him and to the left.

“Come on. I wanna get high and Ian is working a long shift today so he won’t be there and I don’t wanna do that shit alone.” Lip urges Mickey into the cab of the truck.

“Aight, but if he comes back it’s your fucking funeral dude.” Mickey grumbles with a grin.

“If he comes back he can just deal. I’m allowed to get high with whoever I want.” Lip retorts giving Mickey the finger before he starts the truck.

 

The two ride the rest of the way in silence. Mickey spends the entire drive staring out the window. He watches as the shitty neighborhoods fade away into slightly nicer ones. He always hoped to someday get out of his neighborhood. Especially because it means getting away from his asshole father who has done nothing but ruin Mickey’s life. He tries not to think about that because the horrors of his past need to stay there.

He heaves a big sigh and decides that he should make conversation with Lip, however, just as he is about to talk he realizes they are already at Lip’s apartment building. Mickey closes his mouth once more and decides he should probably get high before he brings up any kind of conversation. Conversation needs some type of substance in his system to truly occur. Growing up with his family made him anxious and awkward about talking beyond small talk with anyone. Being drunk or high was one of the few times Mickey found himself being the most honest.

They take the elevator up to Lip’s floor and the minute they get off they know that Ian is actually home before them, based on the sound of the music coming down the hall. Lip lifts a single finger before he lets Mickey into the apartment.

“I think maybe I should prepare him for you coming over. Just wait by the door once we get inside, okay?” Lip whispers to Mickey as he unlocks the door.

“I know your brother is a nice young man, but sweetheart could you please ask him to turn down the music? It’s a bit loud even for him.” A kind elderly woman comes out of 3F, catty corner to Lip’s, and smiles as she yells at Lip.

“No worries Mrs. Gerry I will let him know you have concerns. He loves you. I’m sure he’ll respond.” Lip smiles back at his neighbor over Mickey’s shoulder.

The two friends stumble into the apartment and Lip turns back one more time and gives the still waiting Mrs. Gerry a wave. Once inside Mickey hangs back by the door and watches as Lip crosses the room and turns off the music. No longer feeling the vibrations at his fingertips Ian looks up and makes eye contact with Lip.

Lip places his hand in a fist and rubs it in a circle on his chest. Mickey watches as Lip’s face changes to one that shows concern or regret. Mickey can’t quite decide. He watches as Ian nods his head in acknowledgement of Lip’s statement. Ian’s demeanor changes as Lip moves his hands around in front of him, clearly signing once more. Then Ian turns to look directly at Mickey. The anger in his eyes throws Mickey completely. He’s not seen anger like that directed at him since the last time he refused to sell drugs for his father.

Mickey turns his gaze away from Ian just as Ian storms off towards what can only be assumed to be his room.

“I take it he still doesn’t like me.” Mickey shuffles his feet and chuckles, trying to pass off the statement as lighthearted.

“No. Like I said, he’ll come around.” Lip shrugs and pulls out his joints and a lighter. Then he motions for Mickey to join him on the couch.

Mickey takes a hit after Lip. He breathes in the fumes and feels his nerves and muscles unwind almost immediately. He knows his face is turning to a blissed-out look, but he doesn’t care. Getting high was Mickey’s favorite pastime. It meant he could pretend he wasn’t a part of the Milkovich clan. Something he actually longed to be a reality, not that he would ever admit it out loud.

“So, why would my dad not want to see us drinking a beer together?” Mickey casually asks Lip, handing the joint back to him.

“Our dads hate each other. They both think that the other is an insult to our neighborhood for different reasons. I don’t know. Usual career drunks’ bullshit.” Lip takes a long drag from the joint and slowly releases the smoke, handing it back to Mickey.

“Sounds to me like you’re the only Gallagher who likes me.” Mickey snorts as he chokes on the hit he had just taken.

“Probably. Sounds like a shitty move I’d make.” Lip shrugs, giving his friend a side long look before both men are rolling around in hysterics.

“Damn this is some of the best shit I’ve ever smoked.” Mickey admits once they’ve calmed down a bit and resumed their sitting on the couch positions.

“Kev grows it. Best pot I’ve ever tasted, and it’s super cheap too.” Lip gives Mickey back the joint and nudges him a bit.

Mickey doesn’t respond. He just sits back on the couch dragging in and then slowly blowing it back out. This is the most fun Mickey has ever had with another person before. Usually Mickey gets high all by himself in his room and the pot is usually some cheap, half ass shit his brothers got in exchange for something else.

“So. The Russian.” Lip nudges Mickey again and gives him a look. A look that tears into Mickey’s soul and makes him feel slightly uncomfortable. He imagines if he was sober now would be about the time he would bolt out and leave.

“Uh. She, uh, knows my dad. Knows me through association.” Mickey stumbles over his words and shifts awkwardly in his spot. He hopes and prays that Lip lets the subject drop.

After a moment of awkwardness between them Lip does in fact let the subject drop.

“Learn ASL.” Lip says shortly.

“What?” Mickey is caught off guard by Lip’s statement and so his initial response isn’t one of understanding.

“Ian. He will like you better if you use his language.” Lip replies, his voice sounding distant. Mickey recognizes this as complete relaxation. Something that will sometimes happen after smoking a bit.

“You are welcome to stay here and crash on the couch man, but you don’t have to.” Lip’s words are barely a whisper and Mickey pats his friend on the shoulder as a goodbye and decides that it’s time for him to leave.

  
  


Over the next week Mickey only sees Lip at work. They continue to be friendly towards each other but, it seems Lip has realized that inviting Mickey over to get high with him was not a good idea right now. As much as Mickey acted like he didn’t care this upset him more than he liked. He knew his heart was set on getting Ian to forgive him. There was nothing Mickey wanted more in life.

In that week he researched extensively just how to sign an apology to Ian. He even went so far as to look into asking him questions about himself as well as questions like ‘would you like coffee sometime?’. Mickey realized really quickly that American Sign Language could be pretty hard to master. He doesn’t know how Lip is so good at it.

“So, I was looking up some ASL online. That shit’s hard man. How do you remember it all?” Mickey says to Lip a week after their Alibi trip. They are plastering the walls of the office building they’d been working on for some time.

“It just takes time and practice. I’ve been doing it since Ian was like 3, it’s been a lot of hard work.” Lip shrugs as he turns back to their job.

“So Ian wasn’t born deaf?” Mickey blurts out without first thinking it through.

“Nah. Meningitis when he was 3. Affected his hearing abilities.” Lip looks at Mickey quizzically, as if he is trying to size him up.

“Damn. Does he ever talk about when he could hear?” Mickey tries to keep the conversation flowing. Even though it was teetering into dangerous emotional territory for him he loved the calmness talking with Lip gave him.

“You know you can ask him right?” Lip quirks his eyebrow and shakes his head at Mickey.

“When? After he pushes past me angrily without a word or before he slams the door, loudly I might add?” Mickey holds the plaster while Lip locks it in place.

“Okay, if I can get him to give you a chance will you stop pestering me with questions about him? Geez, if I wanted twenty questions about my fucking brother I would spend all my time with my sister Fi.” Lip swears, but his angry demeanor falls flat because Mickey knows the truth. Lip would do anything for his brother. Even answer stupid questions from his work buddy about him.

“Whatever man.” Mickey shrugs, shrinking back into his hole of emotional guardedness.

Lip laughs and shakes his head again. Then he pulls out his cell and types out a message to somebody, Mickey assumes it’s Ian.

An hour later his suspicions are confirmed. Ian saunters up to Lip with a smile. Mickey watches the smile spread across Ian’s face and he realizes that's something he wants every day in his life. Ian smiling just like that. What he wants even more is for Ian to be smiling at him like that.

Mickey rubs his finger across his eyebrow and watches as Lip and Ian communicate with each other. It's clear they are joking around with each other based on Lip’s laugh and body language. He bites his lip trying to decide whether or not he's gonna jump in and try to talk to Ian.

Before he can decide however, Lip decides for him. 

“Hey, Milkovich! Come with us to the Alibi and grab some beers.” Lip calls over and motions with his hand for Mickey to join him.

With a sigh Mickey jogs to catch up. He's not sure how things are gonna end with him and Ian but, he's hopeful Ian will give him a chance.

Entering the Alibi today gets about the same reaction from the patrons as a week ago did. Everyone greets Mickey with a smile and a cheer. Kev, the bartender, nods at Lip and grabs some glasses for them to drink from. Mickey watches his smile grow wider and brighter once he sees that Ian is with them this time. 

“Ian Fucking Gallagher.” Kev shouts as he does a sign Mickey has never seen before. It’s a sort of upward and outward motion from the left side of his mouth with his pinky finger. 

Mickey glances at Lip questioningly. Lip leans towards Mickey and whispers, “It’s Ian’s name sign. Kinda slang for smiley but with the finger sign for i. You know since Ian starts with that letter.” Lip leans away again with a shrug. 

Mickey shrugs and smiles a bit. He likes the name sign, and feels that it is fitting even if he’s only directly seen anger from the young man.

Lip moves away from Ian and Mickey to sit down at the bar. He sits in the farthest stool forcing the other two to sit next to each other. Mickey shrugs again and sits in the stool two down from Lip, no sense in sitting next to Lip and forcing Ian to sit only next to him. Ian sees that and quirks his eyebrow before sitting. He gives Mickey a short little nod in appreciation. Mickey watches him turn to his brother and his drink with no other acknowledgement of Mickey’s presence. Mickey worries his lip while he tries to decide his next move. 

“Just man up and ask him out.” Kev leans in and whispers as he gives Mickey his beer.

“What? No. I wasn’t.” Mickey stammers unsuccessfully. He drops his head down as Kev walks away chuckling.

Mickey decides right then to suck it up and just go for it. He waits for Ian to show signs that he is done conversing with his brother. Then Mickey takes a deep breath and reaches his hand out and places it gently on Ian’s shoulder. Ian’s reaction is immediate. He turns slowly and gives Mickey a pointed look. Mickey gulps and starts to speak out loud when he remembers Ian can’t hear him. He watches as Ian scoffs and rolls his eyes, starting to turn back to the counter and his drink. Mickey waves his hands out to get Ian’s attention once more. Ian gives Lip a look and then turns back to Mickey.

Mickey makes a fist and rubs it on his chest like he had seen Lip do before. Ian’s demeanor changes at the sight of Mickey trying his best to speak Ian’s language. Mickey goes from sorry into a series of signs aimed at letting Ian know he’d like to get to know him better. Then Mickey slowly goes through the signs for “Would you like coffee sometime?” Only he gets to the word coffee and he can’t remember the sign. He knows its two fists moving together in some way but, he’s not sure of the positioning. So, looking down at his hands, he crosses his wrists and moves his fists towards each other. He doesn’t look up until he hears Lip laugh.

Looking up he sees Lip leaning over his drink, hysterically laughing. Ian on the other hand is smiling with his head ducked in clear amusement. Mickey suddenly stops signing and gets defensive.

“What?” Mickey looks directly at Kev who is also trying to hold back laughter.

“I don’t know what you were trying to sign, but you signed ‘make out’.” Kev laughs a little bit through his words.

“What? Oh shit, I couldn’t remember the sign for coffee.” Mickey says.

“So that’s what you were trying to sign!” Lip stops laughing momentarily to exclaim. He then turns to Ian and translates to him what Mickey had said. 

Ian signs a few things to Lip and then motions his head towards Mickey. A clear ‘tell him’ signal.

“Ian wants you to know that coffee is kinda different. It is two fists one on top of the other and the top one moves in a circle as if grinding something. He didn’t figure you meant make out. Though he is flattered.” Lip smiles and moves off his stool to slap Mickey on the back. “I would say he’s no longer mad at you.” Lip then walks past him towards the restrooms.

Mickey lets out the breath he didn’t even know he’d been holding. He downs his drink in one go and refuses to look back at Ian. He is sure that Ian can tell just by looking at him that he is embarrassed. Mickey can feel the heat of his face turning red. Just as he is about to start kicking himself some more for being a complete idiot, Mickey feels a hand on his shoulder.

Mickey picks up his head, about to growl at whoever decided to disturb him. His scowl falters however, when he sees that it is Ian trying to get his attention. Mickey gives him a questioning look since he doesn’t know enough sign language to truly answer him with words. Ian seems to get the message regardless. He pulls out his phone and points at it. Mickey questions him again with just a look. Ian shakes his head in slight amusement. Then he turns to Kev and signs something that has Kev nodding in response.

“Ian says you’re an idiot. I would have to agree. Dude. Take out your phone and give him your number. Duh.” Kev sighs exasperatedly. 

“How the fuck was I supposed to get that from one fucking look?” Mickey exclaims as he pulls out his phone to hand it over to Ian anyways.

Ian, who had been watching Mickey’s mini rant, chuckles a bit and takes Mickey’s phone when he hands it over. Mickey ponders his chuckle all while watching him type something into the phone. Mickey can only assume it is his number. However, when Ian hands it back Mickey sees that he not only put his number into Mickey’s phone but he also texted himself from it so that Ian could have Mickey’s number as well. 

Mickey stares at the phone for a bit and doesn’t even notice when Lip returns from the restroom. Then just as Lip is sitting down Mickey decides he needs to leave, so he stands up. 

“Well I gotta go. See you at work tomorrow.” Then tapping Ian on the shoulder he waves goodbye to him. Ian gives him a small smile and waves back. Then he points to his phone. Mickey gives a curt nod before turning around and walking out of the bar.

 

Mickey made himself dinner before he decided to make use of Ian’s newly obtained number.

_ To: Ian _

_ Why did you laugh when I ranted to Kev earlier. I thought you couldn’t hear. _

 

_ From: Ian _

_ I can read some words from people's lips you know. It’s not exact science but it is effective enough if the person is speaking slowly enough. _

 

_ To: Ian _

_ You calling me stupid? _

 

_ From: Ian _

_ Nope. Just a slow talker. I don’t really know how smart you are but judging by your choice in friends I should say it’s not likely. ;) _

 

_ To: Ian _

_ Was that a joke firecrotch? _

 

_ From: Ian  _

_ Mmm Firecrotch. Do you say that to all the guys or just me? _

 

_ To: Ian _

_ All the guys with red hair. _

 

_ From: Ian _

_ And here I thought I was special. _

 

_ To: Ian _

_ Well if you think being the only redhead I know is special then yes you are.  _

 

_ From: Ian _

_ Talk to you later tough guy. _

 

For hours after Ian’s last text Mickey mulled over what his interest in the young man meant. Sure he knew he was gay, that fact had been obvious since he’d popped his first boner towards a boy in middle school. It was more what Mickey’s interest in Ian meant. Did he want Ian around on a friend level or was he looking for something more? All Mickey knew for sure was the warm feeling in his chest he’d had for the last hour or so of texting with Ian he wanted to keep forever.

  
  


The next morning comes way too quickly for Mickey’s liking. He shuts off his phone alarm and shuffles off to the bathroom. Later, while he eats some cereal, he opens up the sign language app he had downloaded and starts working on some new signs. He works on the signs for words like “nice” and “how are you”. He even brushed up some more on the alphabet because if all else fails he could finger spell. 

Suddenly his phone alerts him to a new text message. He opens it and reads it with a smile on his face. 

 

_ From: Ian _

_ I'll see you at your lunch break today. We can go get that coffee. Have a great morning. _

 

_ To: Ian _

_ See you then. _

Mickey wanted to say so much more to Ian, but he found himself holding back. Even though he knew that Ian was gay and ok with it, Mickey still didn't feel comfortable enough baring his heart and soul out to this kid. 

With another smile, Mickey pockets his phone and heads out to the L so he won't be late for work. He doesn't bother locking the door because his dad and brother are both home and there isn't really anything in their house worth stealing.

“I gotta get my own place” Mickey mutters as he plops down in a seat on the L train.

His ride to work is silent and uneventful. Barring the bum in the corner reeking of stale booze and puke, Mickey doesn't make eye contact with any of the other commuters. 

“Yo. Milkovich!” The shouted greeting meets him the minute he steps on the construction site.

“Hey Gallagher.” Mickey mumbles, he's still not 100% awake and he doesn't want to snap at his only friend.

“So I knew introducing you to my brother would be a bad idea, but I thought what the heck Milkovich could use all the friends he can get. Now I'm thinking not even that is worth it.” Lip immediately starts in, as if he didn't even notice Mickey wasn't awake yet.

“What?” Mickey is thoroughly confused. He and Ian were barely on speaking terms and that wasn't affecting his friendship with Lip; so the connection was lost on him. 

“Ian. He won't shut up about you.” Lip clarifies.

“I thought he didn't talk.” Mickey quips with a shit eating grin.

“Fuck you! You know what I mean.” Lip counters back with a raise of his middle finger.

“Let's just get to work, ok” Mickey evades the real subject at hand. He knew Lip was just fishing for Mickey’s feelings about Ian.

The two men stop talking after that and get right to work. Mickey loves construction. It allows him to do what he does best: work and not talk. It's especially great today because it gives him even more time to think over his feelings for Ian.

Sure Mickey has known for years that he was gay, but he's never actually had any feelings for someone else before. Usually he'd do one offs with guys and be done with it. He never contemplated a relationship with one before and he definitely never went out of his way to do something as important as learn another language for one. 

Ian was different. Mickey knew that the moment he had met him. The draw he had felt to the young man had done nothing but intensify as the days passed. 

Before Mickey knew it Lip was hollering at him to break for lunch. Mickey wipes his hands off and puts his tools down. He strides over to Lip with a cheeky grin on his face.

“If I didn't know better Gallagher I'd say you were only working to eat.” Mickey quips with a laugh.

“Fuck you, Milkovich. Ain't nothing wrong with breaking for food. Just because you'd rather work than talk doesn't mean the rest of us do.” Lip playfully shoves Mickey as they walk towards Lip’s truck. 

Mickey was about to come back with another jab at Lip but the appearance of Ian standing next to Lip’s truck stops him in his tracks.

“Hello.” Mickey mumbles as he waves towards Ian.

Ian smiles at Mickey using that smile Mickey had hoped he'd use towards him. Ian moves his hands in a series of signs. Mickey can tell he's trying to be helpful towards Mickey, because he signs really slow. Mickey catches the sign for “how” and what he thinks is “you/your” and “day”. Even though Mickey doesn't know all the signs he can decipher what Ian is asking him. 

Mickey pauses and tries to think what words in his limited vocabulary of ASL he could use to answer Ian’s question. He remembers that he had learned “nice” just that morning. So he rubs his hands together in one fluid motion. 

Ian smiles at his answer and in response motions for Mickey to follow him. Mickey gives Lip a look and a shrug before following the younger Gallagher. 

 

Once they arrived at a cafe just a few blocks away, Mickey immediately felt his walls come back up. He had to be careful, even in a place as nice as this. His father could find out in any way. Mickey couldn't risk being caught. He watches as Ian communicates with the barista via ASL. It amazes him how wonderful and beautiful ASL looks in fluid conversation form. It made Mickey feel a bit uncomfortable that he barely knew any ASL.

When Ian walks back to him and starts signing, Mickey tries to understand. However, he doesn't know enough to decipher Ian's motions. He gives Ian a frown before signing a word he does know.

Mickey rubs his fist in a circle on his chest.

Ian simply grabs his hand and without saying a word let's Mickey know that it's ok. 

Ian pulls out his phone and types some words out in a note taking app.

_ I know you don't know a lot of ASL but that's ok. What matters is you are trying. We can just text talk until your ASL is more fluent. :) _

Mickey reads the message, when Ian passes it to him, and gives Ian a look that says “are you sure?” Ian simply nods.

So once the men get their coffee they both take out their phones and only speak via text.

 

_ To: Ian _

_ I hope your day is great so far. _

 

_ From: Ian _

_ It was actually really stressful, but then I got to see you. _

 

_ To: Ian _

_ Sorry your day has been stressful. _

_ And if you knew me you wouldn't always be so glad to see me. _

 

_ From: Ian _

_ Why not? Lip likes you. He's usually pretty good judge. _

 

_ To: Ian _

_ I come from South side. My family is as backwards and fucked up as they come. I'm not worth it. _

 

_ From: Ian _

_ You think my family is fucking royalty? I'm sure Lip told you we also come from South side. My dad's a fall down drunk, a con man. My mom is crazy and always on drugs. I haven't seen her in years, which isn't bad.  _

_ Just don't think you're awful or unworthy of kindness because of your family. _

 

_ To: Ian _

_ Well aren't we the most well adjusted fuck ups around. _

 

_ From: Ian _

_ Speak for yourself Milkovich. _

 

_ To: Ian _

_ So what is your job? _

 

_ From: Ian _

_ I work as a paid intern for the Riley administration. The hope is I work hard enough I’ll move my way up and be able to make some real change. _

 

_ To: Ian _

_ You're a politician?! _

 

_ From: Ian  _

_ I'm deaf...not an idiot. And it’s called a political intern. _

 

_ To: Ian _

_ I didn't say you are. I just meant that it's very non-South side of you. _

 

_ From: Ian _

_ Fuck you. _

Mickey watches in horror as Ian stands up and storms out. He then curses himself for once again fucking it up. All he ever does is stick his foot in it whenever he tries talking to people. It's why he doesn't usually do it sober.

Mickey sends off an apology text to Ian before leaving the cafe and heading back to work. He knows that working and laying drywall will get his mind off of it all. He is so focused on getting back to work that he doesn't even hear Lip accost him. 

“What the fuck! I've called your name a million times, Milkovich.”

“Fuck off Gallagher.” Mickey glares at Lip and tries to get him to back off.

“Ok what the fuck dude?! You trying to get me to hate you? You are so fucking hard to read! You turn on a dime!” Lip curses again for good measure before shoving Mickey's shoulder a bit.

“If you can't handle it then just fucking leave!” Mickey screams before leaving work. He knows he could lose his job for leaving but right now he doesn't care.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and Kudos encourage me and fuel my fire! Please let me know what you think!


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